The Kajka 65 is Fjallraven's serious hiking pack, boasting a capacity worthy of a multi-day excursion and the features to make the load as comfortable to carry as possible.
This is Fjallraven, so bomber build is a given, right? As is that understated woodsman-throwback look; the pack looks as good with an axe strapped to it, as it does with ice tools.
The off-putting aspect is the 3.2kg weight of this beast. If that extra weight is down to features that improve comfort, then you have a very worthy trade-off, and in this case it is. The whole cockpit of the pack is brimming with soft squishy padding for a start, and can be tailored to back length and even shoulder width. A clever addition - well worth the weight penalty - is the struts that aid the compression straps. Running about two-thirds of the pack length they help ensure compression is distributed evenly, which, if used cleverly, can make a huge difference to weight distribution.
Another innovative feature is the wooden frame of the pack which reduces the frame's environmental impact by 90% compared with an aluminium frame.
Travel-friendly features such as full length zips to access the main compartment, and a removable lid which can be worn as a bum bag, add to the pack's usefulness - although the weight seems more significant when up against a budget airline's baggage allowance.
This is one of those packs that feels so much lighter on your back than it does in your hand, and it has the features to sustain that illusion over a long hike. As is usually the case with Fjallraven, the price is high, but the value is clear!
